European Parliament Votes To Rein In Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty 10/03/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favour of a demand to be kept fully informed about the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement under negotiation by the European Commission and about a dozen countries outside Europe. Parliament also opposed controversial provisions such as personal searches at European borders and cutting internet access for anyone found infringing copyright online three times.
Leading IP Offices Target Patent Backlog, Economy; Differ On Harmonisation 10/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The backlog in patent processing could impose £7.6 billion (about USD$11.3 billion) in annual expenses on the global economy within the next five years if nothing is done to fix it, according to a new economics study from the United Kingdom released this morning before directors of several top global intellectual property offices.
Tough IP Health Provisions In Europe’s Colombia/Peru Trade Deal 25/02/2010 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Far-reaching provisions on the patenting of medicine have been inserted into a controversial free trade agreement between the European Union and Colombia and Peru.
ACTA Negotiators: Maximal Protection Proposals Unlikely In Final Text 18/02/2010 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The chapter on copyright protection in the digital environment under negotiation in the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is still in an embryonic state, said negotiators coming back from the recent ACTA negotiations in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Contradictory Court Rulings, Continuing Tension On Internet Liability In EU 17/02/2010 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In its 2010 digital music report, the International Federation for the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said that despite the availability of 400 legitimate online music offerings worldwide and significantly higher 2009 revenues, the music sector remains hard-hit by peer-to-peer and emerging forms of copyright infringement.
Year Ahead: Biotech And Patentability Under Debate In The US, EU 09/02/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Biotechnology lies at the intersection of a wide spectrum of fields, such as agriculture, health and environment. Because biotechnology relates to life sciences, it is often the subject of ethical, sometimes intense political debates between stakeholders, in particular involving intellectual property rights. In 2010, as the first signs of global economic recovery are emerging, the debates are expected to increase.
Accès aux médicaments : création d’un groupe de travail chargé de contrôler les accords de libre échange conclus par l’Union européenne 02/02/2010 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUXELLES – Les accords de commerce ne doivent pas contenir de clauses relatives aux droits de propriété intellectuelle susceptibles de remettre en cause l’accès des pays pauvres aux médicaments à des prix abordables, a déclaré un député chevronné du Parlement européen.
New Parliament Group Monitors EU Trade Pacts’ Impact On Poor’s Medicines Access 28/01/2010 by David Cronin for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BRUSSELS – Trade agreements must not contain clauses on intellectual property rights that could imperil the poor’s access to affordable medicines, a veteran member of the European Parliament (MEP) has said.
Under Scrutiny, WHO, Pharma Seek To Explain “Dangerous Nonsense” Of Pandemic 26/01/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Representatives of the World Health Organization and the European pharmaceutical industry today answered questions from the Council of Europe and the press on whether they had mishandled an outbreak of influenza this summer.
WHO Lashes Out As Council Of Europe Preps Hearing On Flu Pandemic 25/01/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments The World Health Organization today defended its declaration of a global influenza pandemic, and saying any allegations that it is fake are “wrong and irresponsible.” The statement comes as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) prepares for a public hearing tomorrow morning in Strasbourg to examine the allegations, involving representatives of the WHO and European vaccine manufacturers will be in attendance, as will independent medical experts.